I wound up here at Rationalskepticism as a result of a Google search regarding lead acid batteries. What a great find. I'm sure I'll be here often.My question however is the result of an acquaintance who is proposing an investment in battery reconditioning. Apparently what kills auto batteries over time is sulfation. A hardening of the sulfur crystals that attach to the lead plates. He indicates that he has a method of electronically revitalizing these batteries back to almost the condition of a new battery. My question is does this seem feasible and/or might there not be a chemical or compound that could be added to the battery acid that would soften or remove these crystals?I obviously have no science or chemistry background...just thinkin.

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Various companies already seem to be selling systems to electrically/electronically reverse sulfation.

It seems that the basic idea works but your acquaintance's method doesn't seem likely to be a fundamentally novel one, and even if it's similar-but different to existing ones, it might have to be meaningfully better to actually make an impact, assuming there are no patent barriers in its way.

I don't do sarcasm smileys, but someone as bright as you has probably figured that out already.